Great War VC hero honoured

Charles Alfred Jarvis VC.

Tomorrow (Saturday) one of Carnoustie’s courageous sons will be honoured with the first in a series of national ceremonies marking the centenary of the First World War.

At Carnoustie Golf Hotel at 2.30 p.m. a specially commissioned commemorative flagstone will be laid down to celebrate the heroism of Lance-Corporal Charles Alfred Jarvis, Royal Engineers, precisely 100 years ago.

Jarvis had been tasked with the blowing of a bridge at Jemappes to block the advance of German forces and carried this out for over an hour while under constant heavy enemy fire. He was wounded in the process and for his efforts was awarded the very first Victoria Cross of World War One, just 19 days into the conflict.

Lt. Gen. Sir Alistair Irwin, national president of the Royal British Legion Scotland will open the ceremony before Deputy Lieutenant of Angus Dr Sandy McKendrick unveils the flagstone.

This ceremony is the first in a series to honour the courage of each of Britain’s Great War VC winners exactly 100 years after they were won, with Carnoustie’s other VC winner George Samson scheduled for April 2015.

Lindsay Martin, president of the Carnoustie branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland said: “The Legion and the people of Carnoustie are very proud that we have been given this slab to be put in a place that will be seen by so many people.

“It was suggested by one of our members and we agreed that the hotel and golf course would be a better place than the War Memorial because it would let people from all over the world see that Carnoustie had two Victoria Cross recipients who gave so much to save the lives of so many.”

The event is free and open to all and audience members will receive a special commemorative handout produced by Angus Council.